Another Option for Faith-Based Service- with the UCC!

Hello Mayflower friends!  I hope you have enjoyed hearing about some of my personal experiences with God and God’s people here in Argentina.  This post, however, will be informational and pertains not to Argentina, but to volunteer ministries in the U.S. through the UCC!  Hopefully some of the opportunities available will appeal to some of Mayflower’s young adults!

In the near future, I hope to interview Reverend Sarah Campbell’s daughter, Hannah, about her personal experiences with UCC volunteer ministries.  Then I will be able to offer you a more detailed sketch of the programs the UCC has to offer!

To begin, here is a logistical outline of “Young Adult Service Communities” (YASC)

Young Adult Service Communities (YASC) is an 11-month program for young adults ages 21-30 interested in exploring their faith and how that faith can intersect with social justice efforts.  Volunteers serve through various UCC congregations across the UCC.  Examples of placement cities include Phoenix, AZ, Carlsbad, CA, Bethseda, MD, and Seattle, WA.  The year-long internships offered by the various placements include working with Habitat for Humanity, Refugee Resettlement, community resource centers, and human rights organizations. 

According to the UCC website, the core tenets of the program are as follows:

• Community Living

Interns live in community with each other and develop relationships with their host congregation, local community, and YASC Groups in other locations.

• Leadership Development- UCC Style

Experience the integration of congregational life and mission/service/justice advocacy.  Develop servant leadership skills.

• Hands-On Justice Advocacy/Service Opportunities

Experience the gifts and learn of the needs of vulnerable or excluded people.

• Faith Conversations:

Reflect on your experience and explore a vocabulary of faith that expresses a radical hospitality.  Participate in “vocational discernment” and help vision a church engaged in God’s work in the world.

The application deadline for serving from September 2013 through August 2014 is February 15, 2013.  Apply online at:   http://www.ucc.org/volunteer/yasc/

If you have questions about YASC, you can contact Volunteer Ministires at 216-736-2014 or blaufusm@ucc.org.

I look forward to hearing from Hannah about her experiences with YASC soon!

¡Hasta luego!

Lisa

My El Arca "Family"

As anyone who has worked, volunteered, or lived in an El Arca/L’Arche community will tell you, friendship is central to the L’Arche philosophy and lifestyle.  Consequently, most of the “work” I have done so far is intangible.  Of course there are concrete tasks along the way- assembling “sopapas” (drain stoppers), washing dishes, folding laundry, making visits to the medical center or psychologist etc., but they are secondary to the relationships I am forming. 

At first this was hard for me to accept.  I felt that I wasn’t being productive enough, true to my North American cultural heritage.  Yet I’m becoming accustomed to the relaxed pace of the workshop and home, and the people there have become my adoptive Argentinian family.      

I have written bios for some of my friends at El Arca so you can get to know them too:

Osvaldo:

Osvaldo is a charming man of 64 years.  He is a loyal fan of “Boca,” one of the Buenos Aires futbol teams.  He has a boca flag in his room, a boca backpack that he takes everywhere, and a boca mug.  On Wednesday afternoons when Juan leads the painting workshop, Osvaldo always wants to use the boca colors: yellow and blue.  Osvaldo endures much harassment from the “River” fans, who greatly outnumber him.  

Here's a photo of Osvaldo and me: 

 

Osvaldo is also a great, affectionate friend.  During my first week at El Arca, he showed me his photo album, which is full of pictures of his friends.  One of his favorites is Padre (father) Pepe, the priest who suggested that Osvaldo live in the home to begin with.  Osvaldo talks about Padre Pepe and his godparents often. 

Osvaldo and I share a passion for desserts.  He becomes very animated when a dessert appears.  I would say that I become just as animated but I hide my excitement. 

Maxi:

Maxi is a 20-year-old bundle of energy.  He likes to sing, play basketball, and swim.  Several afternoons Maxi and I have sung along to a CD of Mambru, an Argentinian rock band.  This afternoon, we joined some local boys for a game of basketball.  

A photo of Maxi and me in the taller:

 

Julio:

Julio and I always sit next to each other at lunch, because we are creatures of habit, and because, as he says “nos cameos bien” (we like each other/get along with each other).  Julio is one of the most polite people I’ve ever met.  He always asks me how I’m doing and whether I’ve talked with my parents and how they’re doing.  Sometimes it’s difficult for me to understand what he is saying, but he says I’m getting better.  He’s very patient with me.  

A photo of me, Julio, and Dani:

 

Sandra:

Sandra is 21 and full of life.  She a great “matera” (drinker of mate) and loves to listen to music.  She also has a taste for large, rose colored sunglasses.  I don’t see her as often as the others because she goes to school during the day.  It didn’t take long for her to warm up to me, though.  She says we are great friends already. 

Marcos:

Marcos (Marquitos, affectionately) is a sweet boy of 14.  He is blind but has, in my opinion, a remarkable awareness of who surrounds him.  A mere hour or so after first meeting me, he could tell who I was by my voice, or by feeling my face or arm.  Marcos also goes to school, so I don’t see him a lot.  He and I have listened to his reggaeton CD together a few times though. 

Dani:

Dani is a fan of “River” but a great friend of Osvaldo’s nonetheless.  In addition to attending the workshop, he has an internship with a local carpenter.  Dani is very talkative and has given me many tips about staying safe in Argentina.  In addition to carpentry, he enjoys playing the guitar and fishing.

Noelia:

Noelia is the biggest fan ever of the Argentinian popstar Axel, who is now one of the judges on “La Voz Argentina” (the Argentinian version of “The Voice.”)  Noelia talks about Axel often and likes to sing his songs and watch “La Voz.”  Noelia is also the proud aunt of a tiny baby girl who she looks after from time to time.

Yanet:

Yanet is a talented artist.  I have seen her draw castles, dogs, ballerinas, and unicorns.  She is soft-spoken and kind and comes a few days each week with her brother Diego.  We celebrated Diego’s birthday on the 11^th.  He treated us to his special homemade pizza. 

So there you have it, a snap shot of the people I’ve been spending my time with these days.  I am in good hands!  

Poco a Poco (Little by Little)

¡Saludos a todos y todas! Greetings everyone!  

Last Sunday (09/09), I wrote the following reflection about my second Sunday with the Santo Sacramento Congregation and about my first week at El Arca:

 “Poco a poco” (little by little) I am learning the names of the kids who come to share Sunday afternoons with us, and poco a poco, we are warming up to each other and becoming friends. 

During the lunch of pizza we always share after “el culto” (the service), a group of curious kids peppered me with questions about “Los Estados Unidos” (the United States) and me:  Are there schools in the United States?  Are there dogs in the United States?  Do they like soccer in the United States?  Which soccer team are you a fan of?  How did you get here?  How long did it take?  Is the U.S. close to Brazil?  Which do you like better, Argentina or the U.S.?  Did your parents name you after Lisa Simpson?  Do they watch “The Simpsons” in the U.S.?  Do you have kids?  Do you want to have kids? 

Basic knowledge about the U.S. that is so familiar and ordinary to me is exotic to these kids.  I tried my best not to laugh at their questions, appreciating their genuine desire to learn.

One of these curious kids later blew up a balloon and painted my name on it.  It was so sweet!  She also addressed me as “seño” (at least I think that’s what she was saying), which apparently is how students address teachers here.  My best guess is that it’s an abbreviation for “señora.” 

After lunch, the “chiquititos” (youngest kids) and I painted in our little “aula” (classroom) while listening to a CD of Spanish nursery songs.  The five little girls were a little over-exuberant with the paint, but luckily it was just tempera so it came off  the table easily afterward. 

During the week, I volunteer at El Arca, located in a neighboring municipality.  I take “colectivo” (bus) 314, and 30 minutes later I get off and walk a few blocks to get to “el taller” (the workshop).  Individuals with disabilities from the Buenos Aires area between the ages of 8 and 64 come to the workshop to socialize, express themselves, and develop skills.  In the mornings, they make “sopapas” (I don’t even know what these are called in English- they are for kitchen sink drains); the company that manufactures the sopapas delivers the parts to the workshop, and we assemble them and put them in sealed bags, and then later the company collects them and pays the workers. 

In the afternoon, each day of the week there is a different creative activity.  These activities include carpentry, reading literature, painting, making necklaces, and music.  In between the morning and the afternoon, everyone goes to the home just a few blocks away to eat lunch together.  Each day of the week a different pair of volunteers from the community cooks lunch for us, and what delectable lunches they have been!  I think I am in serious danger of gaining weight, but at least I will never go hungry! 

My role at “El Arca” is still a bit foggy to me, but so far I have mostly been getting to know everyone and helping out with household tasks.  Previous to this week, I had had limited experience interacting with people with developmental disabilities, and to be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about volunteering at El Arca for this reason.  But after this week, my apprehension has vanished.  There is something so special about the people at El Arca.  In comparison to alleged “normal” people, they are much more warm, open and less judgmental.  They welcomed me into their community without the slightest reservation.  And they are so affectionate!  Their propensity for affection and trust could be dangerous in other contexts because unfortunately, not everyone in the world has good intentions.  Within the context of El Arca, however, their affection is welcome and appropriate. 

The writings of Jean Vanier (founder of L’Arche/El Arca) that I skimmed this summer are starting to come alive in front of my own eyes.  Vanier said that relationships with people with disabilities bring us closer to God.  He pointed out that Jesus most identifies with the poor and the weak, and that the weakest parts of the body of Christ are the most indispensable.  I am starting to appreciate Vanier’s philosophy as I participate in the Christian community that is El Arca. 

I would love to tell you about each individual and his or her nuances, but I’m not sure if doing so would be appropriate because of how public blogs are.  I am waiting to hear from the director about how to approach this. 

So for now, hasta luego!  (until later!) 

Lisa

They Welcomed me with Pizza

Greetings, friends!  I have just moved into what will be my home for the next eleven months.  After a week of orientation with the four other YAGM volunteers (Kjerstin, Emery, Andrea and Kevin) and our country coordinator Krystle in the federal capital of Buenos Aires, we departed for our respective destinations last Thursday.  Kevin had the farthest to go: a 14 hour bus ride to Oberá, Misiones, in the northeast near borders with Brazil and Paraguay.  Emery departed on the “buquebus” (ferry) for Montevideo, Uruguay, across El Rio de la Plata.  We three girls are staying in the province of Buenos Aires.  Kjerstin in the federal capital (the city itself), Andrea in Jose C. Paz, San Miguel, and me in Villa Ballester, San Martin.  Andrea and I are in what I would describe as first-ring suburbs of the city, but where I live is fairly urban in comparison to the suburbs of the Twin Cities.  Everywhere I look I can see high-rise apartment buildings, and I am just a few blocks away from the train station.  I will be frequenting that station in order to commute to El Arca, which is located in San Isidro, another suburb or “municipio”. 

I am living in a residence for women owned by the Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Unida (The ELCA equivalent in Argentina).  The church offers the residence as an affordable housing option for single women of all ages, most of whom work, study, or both.  The residence is located right next to the church I will be accompanying this year, Santo Sacramento.  This morning I met some women from the congregation and helped them make the pizzas that the congregation always shares on Sundays.  They prepared a special small pizza for me to eat today.  It was scrumptious!

During my time as a volunteer here, I will help prepare for and carry out the activities that take place each Sunday at Santo Sacramento, with a focus on outreach work with children.  I am considering the possibility of forming a children’s choir, which does not yet exist.  I have no experience whatsoever in choral conducting, but I sure love to sing!

I learned today that the children who attend Sunday School here experience difficult circumstances at home.  They live in “villas,” or slums located something like a 10 mn train ride from the church.  The homes in the villas have been constructed with materials scavenged from the garbage such as tin and plastic, which makes it impossible for inhabitants to stay dry during the harsh winter rains.  The pastor’s wife told me with a heavy heart how sometimes the children arrive soaking wet, some of them without shoes.  For this reason, one of the church’s methods of outreach is to hold clothing drives.  The church also offers a free meal to the whole congregation on Sunday afternoons (the pizza I helped to make!) after worship, which has been a significant attraction for children from the villas.  Over time, however, Santo Sacramento has developed a much deeper significance for these children.  The congregation has fed them not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.  This church has offered them love and encouragement to pursue their dreams.  Of course, I am saying this based only on what I have heard second hand.  I hope to have a more genuine conception of the relationship as I gradually get to know and love the congregation.  

I would like to teach you an Argentinian table prayer/song that we have learned:

Bendice Señor nuestro pan

Y da pan a los que tienen hambre

Y hambre a justicia a los que tienen pan

Bendice Señor Nuestro Pan

Amen

Bless o Lord our bread

And give bread to those who are hungry

And hunger for justice to those who have bread

Bless o Lord our bread

Amen

When I reflect on this prayer, I find that it summarizes nicely Santo Sacramento’s mission.  They seek to feed the hungry and to inspire members of the congregation to promote justice, all under the auspices of God’s love.  Not too different from Mayflower’s philosophy, all things considered. 

When I’m not helping out at Santo Sacramento, I will be volunteering at the home and workshop of El Arca Argentina.  But I will leave those stories for the next post.  

¡Chao!